Children with special health-needs get dream visit to Valley Zoo

Michelle LePage

Updated: June 4, 2017

Samual Joyce, 10, with Dr. Cheryl Lewis in the surgery room at the teddy bear hospital as children from the Stollery Children's Hospital attended Dreamnight at the Zoo, a special night visit at the Valley Zoo in Edmonton, June 2, 2017.Ed Kaiser / Postmedia

The Edmonton Valley Zoo opened its gates to a special crowd Friday night — children with chronic illnesses and disabilities.

An estimated 2,000 people including children and their families attended Dreamnight, hosted by the zoo and the Stollery Children’s Hospital, for an evening of music, mascots, magic and animal encounters.

Sylvie Morgan and her six-year-old daughter, Arianna, attended with their extended family.

“She’s excited to be here,” Morgan said as Arianna jumped up and down. “At other events, people stare at us. If she has a meltdown, parents ask what’s wrong. Here nobody is judging you, judging her.”

Dreamnight, now in its 10th year, also provided a rare chance for Arianna and her extended family to get out together.

“It’s a nice opportunity for us to do these things and get out as a group,” said Arianna’s uncle, John Nette. “There are a lot of happy faces.”

With fewer crowds, the zoo was made more accessible for the Terry family.

“On a normal day, it can be a lot more challenging,” said Elana Terry. “It’s a really good pace for the kids and there’s an overall acceptance. Everyone deals with the same stuff.”

Elana Terry, left, and Stephen Terry took their children Olivia, 8, and Lauren, 6, to the Edmonton Valley Zoo’s Dreamnight at the Zoo on Friday, June 2, 2017.Michelle LePage/Postmedia

The teddy bear hospital — where children adopt a stuffed animal, then help with examinations and mock operations — is a favourite for Terry’s daughters, eight-year-old Olivia and six-year-old Lauren.

The attraction, along with fire truck and ambulance tours and demonstrations, allowed children to get up close to people and equipment they may only see when they are sick or injured.

“We often see children at some of their worst times. This lets us hang out with kids in a fun environment,” emergency medical technician Kurtis Panchuk said as children explored the ambulance and tested out its automatic stretcher. “It’s a little less scary.”

About 100 volunteers and performers helped zoo staff run Edmonton’s Dreamnight at the Zoo, an idea that started in Holland in 1996 and has now spread to 300 zoos, aquariums and parks around the world.

Samiyah Cajilig, 2, tries on a paramedic uniform at the Edmonton Valley Zoo’s Dreamnight at the Zoo on Friday, June 2, 2017.Michelle LePage/Postmedia

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